William Browning (pianist)

William J. Browning (January 31, 1924 – November 9, 1997) was an American concert pianist, vocal coach and piano pedagogue.

William Browning was born in Lawrence, Kansas into a musical family. His father was a concert singer who was friends with the esteemed pianist Carl Friedberg. Browning began playing at an early age, and had performed four Carnegie Hall recitals by the time he was 20 years old. He lived and studied in both the US and Europe.

His teachers included Carl Friedberg who studied with Clara Schumann and Johannes Brahms, and Will Humble, student of Leopold Godowsky who Browning said "was perhaps one of the greatest pianists in history, and was court pianist for Emperor Franz Josef." Later, Browning studied with Hans Levy Heniot, and Gui Mombaerts, who studied with Franz Liszt's student Arthur de Greef.

Browning first came to Pittsburg State University (PSU) in 1941 and studied music. His musical career was interrupted during World War II and he spent three years in Army Special Services with General George Patton's 3rd Army Division.

Following military service, Browning desired to study with conductor Hans Levy Heniot who was close to Godowsky and who had recently come to Chicago following several years as music director of the Utah Symphony Orchestra. At American Conservatory he earned a master's degree in Musical Performance. Following receipt of his master's degree, he continued to teach at the American Conservatory for 32 years. During this period he maintained close affiliation with Juilliard's Adele Marcus and many other prominent pedagogues.

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